GCSE league table reveals best and worst achieving schools in the Vale

Adam King

Aylesbury High School retained its crown as the top performing school in the Vale in newly published school league table results – but there was an alarming drop in achievement at the Grange School, while the Mandeville had the lowest percentage of pupils passing GCSEs.

Overall, 68.2% of children at Bucks schools recorded five or more A-C GCSEs including English and maths, down from 69.5% in 2014 and 71.3% in 2014, but way above the English average of 56.1%.

Ninety-nine per cent of girls at the High achieved the benchmark in the provisional results out this week, down 1% from their perfect score last year. Of the other grammar schools in the Vale, Aylesbury Grammar scored 98% (the same as 2014), and the Floyd and Royal Latin 97% (both down from 98%).

Waddesdon is once again the highest achieving secondary modern, increasing its pass rate from 76% to 77%. The Cottesloe and John Colet made good progress with 67% and 62% of children respectively earning five good GCSEs including English and maths, both up four per cent, while the Buckingham School did even better, increasing its rate from 45% to 51%.

Fifty-eight per cent of Misbourne pupils achieved the benchmark, down one per cent and just under half (49%, down from 52%) at Princes Risborough.

The Grange saw a huge 13% drop in its pass rate, down from 54% to 41%.

Aylesbury Vale Academy achieved the same result as last year at 38%, but a two per cent drop at the Mandeville to 36% now puts it out alone as the worst performing mainstream school in the Vale.

Provisional results are subject to change. The government warns: “Care should be taken when making any comparisons between the 2015 provisional data and the final data from previous years; this is because the provisional data does not reflect accepted amendment requests made by schools in the September checking exercise. These amendments can include the removal of pupils and the addition of late results and re-marks.”